Nozzle for pneumatic cotton-picking machines.



w. M. TULLEY.

NOZZLE FOR PNEUMATIC COTTON PICKING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT.14 1915.

Patented May 23,1916.

um QQ nu TTB@ STATES PATENT @TTTQE WILLIAM M. TULLEY, 0F CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 BAILEY E. CHANEY, OIF CORPUS CHRISTIE, TEXAS.

NOZZLE. FOR PNEUMATICCOTTON-PICKING MACHNES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1916.

f Application filed October 14, 1915. Serial No. 55,859. I

T0 all whom 'i1/may concern l Be it known that l, YVILLIAM M. TULLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Corpus Christi, in the county of Nueces and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Nozzles for Pneumatic Cotton-kicking Machines. and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates broadly to improve-` ments in cotton picking machines and more particularly to nozzles for such machines of the pneumatic type, in which the cotton is drawn by suction from the plants.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this class which although being of extremely simple and in xpensive construction, will be highly efficient and durable, provision being made whereby the amount of suction in the nozzle may be varied at the will of the operator, without changing the speed of the usual suction fan.

Vllith this general object in view, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction to be yhereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanying drawings which constitute a part of this application and in which, y

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a nozzle constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is substantially a central vertical longitudinal section thereof; and Figs. 3, -L and 5 are vertical transverse sections taken respectively on the planes of the lines 3-8, 4 11 and 5-5 of Fig. 2.

lin vdescribing the invention, reference will be made to the figures above mentioned by like reference characters placed on corresponding parts throughout the several views. To this end, the numeral 1 indicates the improved nozzle which is shown of tubular formation having a bell mouth 2 at its front end, while its rear end is designed for connection with one of the suction tubes 3 of a pneumatic cotton picking machine.

Adjacent its front end the tubular nozzle 1 is formed with a transverse slot 4- from which appropriate channel shaped guides 5 project laterally, said guides receiving therein a gate valve 6 whose outer end preferably carries a head 7 pivoted between the arms of a fork S carried by the front` arm of a longitudinally disposed lever 9, such lever being fulcrumed between its ends at 10 between a pair of ears or the like 11 extending laterally from the nozzle 1. The rear arm of said lever is preferably bowed laterally away from the nozzle as disclosed at 12 and is equipped on its extreme rear end with an arcuate valve plate 13 faced on its inner side with leather, felt or the like 14, whereby to normally close the air inlet 15 which opens into the nozzle 1 through one side thereof.

Normally, when the nozzle is not in use, the lever 9, is rocked to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 by a flat spring 16 riveted or otherwise secured to the nozzle 1 adjacent the ears 11 and bearing against the inner side of the outwardly bowed arm 12 ofy said lever, the result being that the gate valve G is closed to prevent the passage of cotton through the nozzle, whereas the air inlet 15 is exposed to allow air to enter the tube 3 to prevent contraction thereof by excessive suction therein, thus preventing choking of the suction fan.

In using the device, the operator will force the arm 12 toward the nozzle 1, thusclosing the air inlet 15 and opening the gate valve 6, whereupon suction created through the nozzle will draw cotton inwardly therethrough as will be obvious. During the picking operation, a noticeable amount of cotton often falls to the earth, this amount being usually wasted when using cotton picking machines of the present day types, in view of the fact that it cannot be picked from the earth by such machines without drawing dust, leaves, etc. therewith, this being due to the fact that the amount of suction in the nozzles of the machines men'- tioned, cannot be decreased at will to such an extent as to allow the cotton only to be picked up. By the use of my improved nozzle, however, it will be obvious that as the spring 16 is allowed to move the gate valve 6 inwardly a slight extent, the air inlet 15 is exposed, the result being that the suction at the mouth 2 will be decreased, since a certain amount of air will enter the inlet 15. Thus the strength of the suction at the aforesaid mouth 2 may be so accurately controlled as to raise even extremely small tufts of cotton from the earth without drawing deleterious matter therewith. This is one of the main achievements of my invention, but another very ,important point is the fact that when the gate valve 6 is closed, suction through the tube 3 is not immediately checked since the air inlet l5 is opened. This is advantageous, since it prevents clogging of such tube as will be readily understood.

within the scope of the invention as claimed,

without sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

I- claim: f

1. A nozzle for pneumatic cotton picking machinescomprising a tube having adjacent "1 its front end a valve for partially or wholly closing the tube, and having in rear of said valve an air inlet opening, a longitudinally disposed lever fulcrumed between its ends to thetube at a pointv spacedy between the valve andthe aforesaidv opening, the front arm of said lever being operatively connected with the valve, and an'additionalvvalve connected to the rear arm of said lever for normally closing the aforesaid opening.

2. A nozzle for pneumatic cottonA picking machines comprising a tube having adjacent y vits front end a. valve forvpartially or wholly In testimony whereof Ivhave hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

c WILLIAMM. TULLEY. j lVitnesses:

C. J. HOWARD, H. H. CRAIG,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by'addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

` Washington, D. C. e 

